


Room to Grow

by ladysparkles



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Erik is Crushing Harder than a 12-year Old Girl, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-23
Updated: 2015-11-23
Packaged: 2018-05-02 23:27:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5267864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladysparkles/pseuds/ladysparkles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's not Erik's fault that his roommates don't like him, but that does get in the way of finding someone to split the rent check with. Luckily, Charles is far more tolerant and accepting than everybody else has been.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Room to Grow

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Black_Betty](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Black_Betty/gifts).



> Fill for a prompt: "Erik and Charles are roommates who are in love with one another and pining because they don't know their feelings are mutual. Misunderstandings and pining and jealousy and eventual romantic resolution and declarations of love!"

Charles was desperate to find an apartment for his remaining two years in college. Two years living in a dorm was already two years too long. The only problem was that Charles didn’t know the first place to start looking for somewhere to live, it’s not like that was a thing he had ever had to do before. So Charles found himself seeking advice from any resource that seemed capable of providing it.

“The unit was super nice.” The student, wearing a flannel shirt next to him was saying. “But then I meet the guy and…” he shuddered.

Charles continued listening. Clearly, there was an apartment with an empty room at least since this person had looked at it.

“He was super neat. He never smiled. There was no booze anywhere and when I asked he said he never goes out.”

What was wrong with that? It sounded sort of nice to Charles.

“Dude.” His friend with the red scarf said. “I don’t blame you for passing that up. Sounds miserable.”

Charles turned around. “Sorry to interrupt, but could I bother you for the contact for the apartment you were just describing?”

Flannel shirt was startled, both by Charles interjection and the request. “Okay.”

 

 

That afternoon, Charles called the phone number of the apartment.

“Erik Lehnsherr.”

“Hi, Erik. This might sound strange, but I heard that you were looking for a roommate, and I’m looking for an apartment. I understand if you’re not looking to live with a perfect stranger, but I thought I would reach out and ask.”

“What did you say your name was?” Erik asked.

“Oh, I didn’t. I’m Charles Xavier.”

“Okay, Charles. Would you like to come by tomorrow afternoon so I can show you around and we can talk over the arrangement?”

“That sounds great.” Charles said.

“Then one o’clock. I assume you know where it is.”

“Yes, I do.”

 

Charles arrived at the apartment the next day and Erik buzzed him up to his floor. When Erik opened the door to Charles he looked nothing like what Charles had been led to expect. Not particularly monstrous nor austere, Erik looked more tired than anything else.

“Charles, I assume?” Erik asked.

“Yes.” Charles extended his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Erik shook Charles hand. “Nice to meet you, too. Come inside, I’ll show you around.”

Charles followed Erik inside the apartment. It was small, but immaculately clean.

“This is the kitchen. It’s pretty small, but it has all the important appliances you can need. And space permitting, we can always get more.”

Charles nodded.

“Living room. I don’t have cable, but whatever you’d want to add is fine.”

“Which room would be mine?”

“That one.” Erik said pointing. “My current roommate still has his stuff in here. But you can take a look at my room to get a sense of the size and setup. They’re the same size don’t worry.” He led Charles to his room and opened the door.

Erik’s bedroom was just as tidy as everything else in the apartment was. Well-organized desk with a neat stack of papers and the bed with clean blue sheets, looking freshly made.

Erik didn’t pick up on Charles’ admiration of the space and continued to explain. “Your room comes with the desk, bed, mattress, and the shelves in the closet.”

“Awesome.” Charles said.

“Oh, also I didn’t mention yet. But there’s only one bathroom, we’d be sharing. But it’s bigger, so that’s makes up for it.”

“That’s okay with me.” Charles said.

“Good.” Erik led back to the living room. “Do you want it?”

“Yeah!” Charles said. He couldn’t understand why anybody wouldn’t.

“Alright, that’s good.” Erik said. “Do you have any concerns or specifications?”

“Not really.” Charles began to say. “Oh, wait. I should mention that I’m a mutant. I hope that’s not a problem.”

“Not at all. I control metal.” Erik said. “What’s your mutation?”

“I’m a telepath.” Charles said. He could tell Erik looked a little bit freaked out by that. “Don’t worry. You can trust me, I won’t pry.”

“That’s good. Thank you.” Erik said. “Do you mind me asking how you take exams?”

“Not at all.” Charles said. “I just take the exam before everybody else and the versions I take are different from everybody else’s. Sort of like a makeup exam.”

Erik nodded. Charles could faintly hear him thinking _I’m glad they don’t treat him like some kind of freak._ That was incredibly sweet, Charles didn’t know why Erik didn’t just say that.

“Anything else I have to do?” Charles asked.

“Not right now. I’ll send you the paperwork and move in details once I get it figured out.”

“I look forward to hearing from you.” Charles said on his way out.

Erik cracked a smile. “Thanks.” _Can’t believe the perfect roommate just turned up on my doorstep. It’s too good to be true, I know._

_* * *_

Charles woke up in the morning to the sound of the kitchen sink running. He pulled himself out of bed and walked out into the kitchen area. Erik was watching dishes, and Charles noticed they mostly belonged to him.

“I’m sorry.” Charles said. “These are mine, I’m sorry for leaving them.”

“It’s fine.” Erik said, focused on scrubbing the food from the bowls.

“Can I help at least?” Charles asked.

“You don’t have to.”

Charles sighed. “I’m not good with passive aggressive stuff. And I’m not going to read your mind. If you’re upset or you want me to do something, please just tell me. I’d rather that than accidentally upset you more.”

Erik turned the faucet off. “I’m not trying to be passive aggressive. I honestly don’t mind doing the dishes every once in a while. It helps take my mind off of things.”

“Are you sure?” Charles asked.

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Is there something I can do to make up for it?”

Erik shrugged. “What you’ve been doing is fine, you’ve been great.”

“Can we go out to dinner tonight?” Charles asked.

“E-e-excuse me?” Erik asked.

“Of course I understand if you’re not interested, but I’ve been thinking maybe it would be a good idea for us to go out every now and then. You know, for like bonding.”

“Bonding?” Erik echoed.

“Yes.”

Erik smiled. “There’s not going to be games involved, are there?”

“Of course not.” Charles said. “I just want to talk to you.”

Erik wasn’t one for blushing, but he felt he almost could at that moment.

 

* * *

 

Over the next few months, Charles continued to get more used to living with Erik. They had almost no awkward instances or mistakes. However they weren’t quite perfect.

Charles was folding laundry in the living room area when Erik walked out of the bathroom, wet and only wearing a towel around his waist.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Erik said when he saw Charles. He rushed to his room quickly. Charles had just the quick look to turn over in his mind, but he liked what he saw.

 

* * *

 

As the end of the school year approached, both Erik and Charles were working hard studying for their finals. One day, Erik did something completely unexpected. He knocked on Charles’ door.

“Hey, what’s up?” Charles asked.

“I just wanted to know what your plans are for the summer.”

Charles had barely had time to think about it. “What are my options?”

“You can stay here, you can go home or wherever you go and keep paying, or you can go and we can find someone to sublet it. Also, you can move out in entirely if that’s something you want to do.”

“Definitely not the last one!” Charles said. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to stay here. I got a job on campus for the summer, so I’ll be able to make enough to pay my share. And you can do whatever appeals to you.”

When Charles pictured himself moving out and leaving Erik with an empty nest or a perfect stranger, he didn’t like it. “I’ll stay for the summer. I’ll get a job.”

“Good.” Erik said. It was nice that Charles liked living with him enough to not leave at the first opportunity.

 

* * *

 

Charles found a job volunteering in the University’s research department. He worked close to forty hours a week and when he wasn’t working, he was socializing with his coworkers. On occasion, he brought his new friends home with him

“Erik, is it okay that I keep bringing friends over for dinner? I understand it can get a little loud, I’ll cut down on it if you’d like me to.” He was pretty sure based on the look on Erik’s face that he did have a problem, but wouldn’t say anything. “No, don’t worry.” The last thing Erik wanted to do was be inhospitable toward Charles. He didn’t like it, but that was his own cross to bear.

“We haven’t gone out yet this month.” Charles pointed out. “When do you want to go?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Erik said. “I know you’ve been busy.”

“Do you not want to?” Charles asked. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. I just don’t want to inconvenience you. You can decide and let me know.” Erik said.

Charles wasn’t going to read Erik’s mind to verify, but he could tell that his roommate no longer liked him as much as he used to. It usually didn’t bother Charles if people didn’t like him, but this time it hurt a little. He wanted Erik to like him. He didn’t know why, he just did.

 

It took several days before Charles figured out a day and time to go out to dinner. Erik wasn’t in any rush to go out. He was trying to keep his distance from Charles since he discovered his feelings for him. Erik didn’t fall in love easily or at all for that matter. And it was pretty clear that Charles didn’t want to be more than friends with Erik. Which made the idea of going out to dinner with Charles distinctly torturous.

But dinner itself wasn’t torturous. Not in the slightest. Despite their distance over the past months, they were easily able to get back into place with one another. That was the problem. Erik was having a harder time resisting Charles because no matter how much space he put between them, he never managed to extinguish his feelings.

When the classes started in the fall it was a rare sighting to see Charles and Erik both awake in the apartment at the same time. It started when Erik would leave at dawn—if not before—and return at midnight or even later. Sometimes Erik didn’t come home at all.

Charles did the math in his head and deduced that Erik was seeing someone. Charles didn’t blame someone for falling in love with him. Not only was he sinfully attractive, but he also had one of the most quietly enchanting personalities Charles had ever encountered. Charles couldn’t blame somebody else for falling for his roommate.

In reality, Erik was not hooking up with a secret lover on a daily basis. He was putting in extra hours on his classes and projects in order to graduate a semester early. After the summer had been admittedly rocky, Erik had vowed to get out as soon as possible and start making something of himself. Nobody would miss him, that was for sure.

 

* **

 

Erik couldn’t keep his eyes open while he made dinner. It was way too late at night, he had been up and working for who knows how long.

“Oh, hey! Nice to see you.” Charles said as he strode past Erik to the fridge.

Startled by the abrupt sound, Erik knocked his bowl of soup over and it clattered to the floor.

“God, I’m so sorry, Erik.” Charles said, getting onto his knees to help clean. “I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s not your fault.” Erik said. “My head’s just a little…” He waved his hands.

“I’m sorry.” Charles said. “Are you under a lot of stress?” He pulled the bowl and towel out of Erik’s hand and took over cleaning.

“I’m taking more classes than ever and I’m trying to finish my project to graduate.” Erik said.

“Don’t you have all year to do that?” Charles asked.

“I’m trying to graduate a semester early. So no.”

“You’re graduating early?!” Charles exclaimed.

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“I just feel like I need to.”

“I wish you wouldn’t.” Charles said.

“Why?” Erik asked back.

“I don’t want you to leave.” Charles said.

“Okay, but why is that so important to you?” Erik asked.

Charles sighed. Being subtle wasn’t going to do any good, considering how obtuse and exhausted his roommate was. “I like you. More than just a little. I like you a lot. And I know you don’t really like me and it’s not your problem or a good enough reason to not do what’s best for you. But I want you to know that I do.”

Erik stared at Charles, his expression blank and unclear. He couldn’t be sure that he wasn’t hallucinating. Charles was immediately feeling embarrassed. He could probably wipe Erik’s memory if it was really so bad.

“You’re wrong about one thing.” Erik said, softly.

“What?” Charles asked.

“I do like you.”

“Are you…?” Charles asked.

“A lot.” Erik added.

Charles gazes at Erik and Erik stared back at Charles just as intense. They were both quiet for a minute.

“Don’t leave.” Charles said again. His voice was soft and gentle, but persuasive.

“Okay.” Erik said.

“Kiss me.” Charles said in the same tone.

“Okay.” Erik said, leaning forward and pressing his lips against Charles.


End file.
